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Dallmeier Substantial Relief For Personnel Stress

It is impossible to imagine the police carrying out their daily duties without modern video technology. Even so, many solutions pose significant challenges for the police personnel because they cannot be operated without a substantial commitment of human resources. At the European Police Congress which will be held in Berlin on February 19 and 20, Regensburg-based company Dallmeier will demonstrate how video surveillance, observation and analysis can be conducted much more efficiently by combining innovative camera equipment and modern software. Another key topic will be solutions for partial automation of policing procedures. 3D SmartViewing for the big picture Completely new opportunities are opened up by combining the proven Panomera® technology with the new concept of ‘3D SmartViewing.’ In this combination, new ultra-high performance Panomera® 360 degree systems are combined with other Panomera® models according to the area to be covered, and enable related incidents to be captured even if they are separated by great distances. Essential tasks such as tracking objects between multiple cameras or activating the most favourably placed camera are assured semi-automatically. This makes it possible to use a minimum number of monitors to observe connected incidents that could not be captured previously. For many scenarios, this technology now enables true video observation with an acceptable number of response personnel for the first time. Response teams can be relieved of still more of the burden by combining the technology with AI-based analysis systems, which may serve either to direct attention to significant events or to filter out irrelevant connections before human intervention or evaluation is necessary. Software support for situational awareness & policing procedures In order to support policing procedures, Dallmeier presents solutions for two areas. To begin with, the manufacturer offers a modular solution with which response teams can receive real-time information from a central source via their mobile devices. This information may be of static or moving images from camera systems, but it can also deliver real-time map information and much more to the deployed personnel. The solution enables response teams to be directed on the basis of more accurate information and optimal coordination with control centre. Conceivable scenarios include football matches, for example, allowing personnel to identify suspicious individuals directly in front of the exit tunnel because they have received photos and other information on their mobile end devices in real time. This system can be combined with the ‘digital police file’ solution. This is an exceptionally flexible system with which all data pertinent to an incident can be collected from various sources regardless of location and assigned to a digital incident file. The data from an enormous range of sources and media formats can be collected in this ‘file’ and integrated electronically in subsequent investigation steps. The system can be configured flexibly and adapted for various procedures. Conceivable scenarios are large events, but it may also be used for traffic incidents and in many other situations where the capture and further processing of investigation data is very labour- and cost-intensive.

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Vanderbilt Navigating the 2019 Trends in Intrusion

For many organizations across the world, intrusion alarms and detection are at the center of their focus for establishing a comprehensive security plan, and the numbers support this. The European perimeter intrusion detection systems market alone is set to see growth at a rate of 15.7 percent annually through 2024, due in part to the growing demand for video surveillance, remote access via the cloud and wireless technology to help enhance security systems. 2019 Intrusion detection trends Perhaps the biggest trend across the security industry – and especially for intrusion – is the increased adoption of cloud-based systems as a means to achieve comprehensive and flexible protection for an organization. The benefits speak for themselves – remote alarm management, more connectivity and a greater ability for operators to streamline security operations. Vanderbilt’s SPC Connect has delivered on the promise of providing a cloud-based SaaS model that gives end users flexibility and inter-connectivity that’s a vital extension of their daily business. Vanderbilt continues to invest in cloud-based solutions across both its access control and intrusion product portfolios, following the demand it’s seeing in the market today for these kinds of products. Shift from product-toservice focus While there is a continuing trend, there is also a big shift away from manufacturers being solely product-focused to being able to offer solutions that support customers working as a service-based company, and many businesses are moving in that direction. This encompasses the idea that today’s organizations want more long-term partnerships rather than ‘one and done’ purchases with no real value in continuing the relationship. Some might argue that security in general has typically been more service-based, but this trend is really taking off as one of the major developments in recent years. Increased connectivity: Intrusion detection Within intrusion and beyond, there’s certainly a trend toward all devices becoming smarter, interoperable and interconnected, and one can look toward the focus on the Internet of Things (IoT) as the source. Customers demand the ability for their intrusion detection system to work seamlessly with and talk to their access control, fire detection and video management systems in an effort to implement an integrated security solution. Vanderbilt has introduced a number of integrations for its SPC Connect intrusion detection system, including full inter-connectivity with the ACT Enterprise access control solution that has been very well received by customers looking to do more with their systems. More communication With increased levels of connectivity comes the demand by customers to enhance communications across devices and teams. Vanderbilt is developing a new wireless portfolio that brings two-way communication to the forefront through a cloud-based system that utilizes the same interface but can be programmed either onsite or remotely. This will be a powerful tool for installers that has already begun to roll out, but will have additional functionality introduced in the coming year. It is part of a concerted effort to push as much information out as possible including more support from installers and dealers for end users, more videos that provide guidance for usage and setup, and the integration of our products through web-based training. Vanderbilt has a huge advantage in the European market with regards to intrusion products and services, and O’Donnell said, “We have the presence and market knowledge required to deliver projects across all regions in Europe, so when customers come to us, they know we’re a trusted partner that can provide the direction and solutions they need to achieve high levels of protection.”

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Sofradir & ULIS To Invest €150M in French Nano 2022 Program

Five-year investment to develop next-generation infrared detectors aims to strengthen Europe’s microelectronics ecosystem and ensure industry growth. Sofradir and its subsidiary ULIS have announced their participation in the Nano 2022 initiative, which sees the Group invest €150M ($171M) over the period 2018-2022. This announcement follows the European Commission’s approval on December 18, 2018 of the ‘Important Project of Common European Interest’ (IPCEI), a joint project by France, Germany, Italy and the UK to give €1.75 billion (approx. $2bn) in public support for research and innovation in microelectronics. Nano 2022 is France’s initiative within the cross-border program that will support developments in nanotechnology, a market sector of strategic importance for the future, which includes applications such as smart sensors. The Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, where Sofradir and ULIS have operations, announced it will contribute €35M ($40M) to support Nano 2022. Sofradir and ULIS, whose infrared technologies are used in a range of applications from space observation and environmental monitoring to security surveillance and predictive maintenance, will invest €150M ($171M) in the Nano 2022 initiative in order to develop next-generation infrared detectors. “Infrared technologies can offer the necessary solutions for improving assisted living, mobility, energy efficiency, security and environmental monitoring, which are all crucial societal needs,” said Jean-François Delepau, Chairman and CEO of Sofradir and ULIS, “As a result of our investment, equipment manufacturers will benefit from the ease-ofuse and performance these new products will offer.” Nano 2022 will enable ULIS to develop the next generations of infrared detectors to address trends in autonomous systems for smart buildings (workspace management, energy savings), road safety and in-cabin comfort of vehicles. It also enables Sofradir to develop the very large dimension infrared detectors needed for space and astronomy observations as well as compact and light sensors that can be used in portable devices and on drones. Nano 2022 contributes to the funding of the pilot lines required for developing these technologies and products. Sofradir and ULIS participate in Nano 2022 alongside other companies based in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, including STMicroelectronics and Soitec. The IPCEI framework develops key cross-border R&D and infrastructure projects aimed at encouraging member states to channel their public spending into large projects. These make a clear contribution to economic growth, job creation and the competitiveness of Europe. The European Commission (DGComp) evaluates the funding conditions, ensuring they are in line with EU state aid rules. Sofradir and its subsidiaries ULIS and US-based Sofradir-EC are global leaders in designing and manufacturing high quality infrared technologies for aerospace, defense and commercial markets. Their vast portfolio of infrared detectors covers the entire electromagnetic spectrum from near to very far. The Group’s products are at the center of multiple military programs and applications. Its IR detectors are the key component of many top brands in commercial thermal imaging equipment sold across Europe, Asia and North America.

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STM32L5 : Ultra-Low-Power Microcontrollers for a More Secured IoT

STMicroelectronics, is bringing sophisticated cyber-protection to power-conscious connected devices with the new STM32L5 microcontroller (MCU) series featuring the Arm® Cortex®-M33 core. Building on the Cortex-M33, which boosts protection for small devices by integrating Arm’s TrustZone® hardware-based security, ST’s STM32L5-series MCUs add further enhancements including flexible software isolation, secure boot, key storage, and hardware cryptographic accelerators. They also provide rich functionality, high performance, and long run-times powered by coin cells or energy harvesting. Consuming as little as 33nA in shutdown mode and achieving 402 ULPMark-CP in the EEMBC ULPBench, the new MCU series builds on the Company’s expertise in low-power techniques such as adaptive voltage scaling, real-time accel eration, power gating, and multiple reduced-power operating modes proven in previous STM32L series. “The STM32L5 series with trust zone and additional custom protection features considerably strengthens and hardens cyber-protection for small IoT devices,” said Ricardo De Sa Earp, Microcontroller Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics, “Also featuring our unique energy-saving technologies, rich connectivity, and smart digital and analog peripherals, these devices will be the first choice to host cutting-edge connected applications.” With extensive integrated digital and analog peripherals, and consumer and industrial interfaces such as CAN FD, USB Type-C™, and USB power delivery, STM32L5 MCUs provide an ideal platform for products such as industrial sensors or controls, home-automation devices, smart meters, fitness trackers, smart watches, medical pumps or meters, and many others. STM32L5-series microcontrollers are sampling now and scheduled to begin production in Q2 2019. “IoT devices are increasing in intelligence and functionality, and security needs to be built in from the ground up,” said John Ronco, Vice President and General Manager, Embedded & Automotive Line of Business, Arm, “Arm’s platform security architecture (PSA), a common framework for security implementation, aims to put security at the heart of IoT. The STM32L5 series makes it easier for developers to build trusted devices on the PSA framework with the Cortex-M33 processor, TrustZone technology and enhanced SoC security features.”  

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Intelligent Video: The Key to Transforming in-Store Shopping Experience

The retail sector has been felling the disruptive impact of e-commerce more than the most. The inevitable costs of staffing, rent, maintenance and daily operations has left traditional brick-and-mortar stores struggling to stay dynamic and compete effectively with their more agile online counterparts. Not only that, but the one competitive advantage of physical retail outlets – being able to provide a more personal customer experience – has also taken a hit in recent years, thanks to the lack of in-store and operational efficiency. Customers find it hard to locate the products they’re shopping for, are faced with longer queues for payment, and the most valuable ‘VIP’ customers are often overlooked. At a time when retailers should be striving to excel, this is a bad news, as a 2018 study from KPMG reinforces, “The customer experience is more important than ever as retailers are striving to differentiate themselves in a challenging and crowded market. Consequently, experience per square foot will be the new retail metric to measure success.” The question, therefore, is how can stores optimise operations and improve the customer experience at this critical time? Technology: At the heart of a better customer experience One challenge that retailers often face is not having a way to collect accurate data and visualise it intelligently in order to make smarter business decisions about the shop floor. For many, reorganising store layout and installing additional equipment is not a realistic option – either because there is no available space, or because of budgetary constraints. In these circumstances, an effective solution could be artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning. Together, these cutting-edge technologies create a video surveillance offering that can give retailers valuable insight into real-time operating conditions to boost customer service and in-store competitive advantage. Intelligent video technologies can be applied to retail in a multitude of ways. People counting Understanding the flow of customers is the key to optimising a store’s sales performance; and by using an accurate people-counting camera, stores can understand daily/ weekly/ monthly peak times, so that store managers can arrange staffing accordingly. What’s more, by layering this data over days, weeks and months, retailers can start to see and understand customer flow trends. The data can be benchmarked against the store’s sales figures and its overheads to inform future operational strategy and help managers optimise store profitability. Furthermore, people counting can also help retail managers gain insights into the customer experience. One example would be to evaluate the conversion rate, which depends on the actual number of purchases divided by the number of people entering the store. Retailers can calculate this rate easily using people counting technology. Even better, people counting can also help stores determine the results of their marketing activities. Each marketing campaign can be quantified by people counting to measure return on investment. This is just one of several technologies that provide insight into consumer behaviour and optimal marketing practices. VIP recognition Loyal high-end or VIP customers are enormously valuable to retailers, but service staff cannot always identify them immediately. This means that business operators miss valuable opportunities to extend a special service. Intelligent facial recognition cameras, however, can provide unique opportunities that were previously unavailable. When customers opt to participate in VIP marketing promotions or other incentives, facial recognition technology will give retailers accurate tools to identify VIPs so staff can provide the right kind of service at the right time. There would be no more need for customers to show membership cards to receive special offers. The whole shopping experience becomes more convenient and efficient. Heat mapping Retailers usually want to know which products customers are most interested in, and which promotional products can attract customers to stop. With heat-mapping technology, retailers can see a colour-coded map of how much time shoppers spend in specific store areas. This can reveal hot spots and dead zones, as well as how many people actually shop for a specific product versus those who just decide to pick it up as they casually walk by. By layering this data over time, retailers can get insight into how to best place items in store, and how best to design the overall store layout. One of the most useful heat-mapping tools available to the retail market is the fisheye camera. A single compact camera can capture a panoramic high-definition image over an impressively wide area, while its heat-mapping function provides the colour-coded map. Because fewer cameras are needed with most heat-mapping solutions, installation is cost-effective, making this the ideal solution for a location such as an independent shopping mall. Queue detection Worse still, if there is always a long queue every time they visit the store, they may avoid that store completely in future. Queue detection solutions can help retailers manage their checkout lines, and the queue detection cameras are designed to monitor queues in real-time. The cameras count the number of people in each queue, and if there are too many people in each checkout line and customers still continue to flock to the checkout area it triggers an alarm to store management, who can open a new checkout. Point of Sale integration Transaction records and surveillance videos can provide valuable information to reduce disputes at checkout. In the past, these are two completely independent data systems. In order to find the right video footage, the surveillance video must be retrieved manually. Therefore, collecting evidence around a transaction normally can take several hours, which is costly for the business. Point of Sale (PoS) integration, also known as PoS Text Overlay, is the uploading of transaction data to the video management system through the PoS and encoding it with the video stream. This combination of retail transaction data with surveillance videos makes it easy to identify certain transactions to be reviewed for customer complaints, mainly used for post-retrieval when a transaction disputes occurs. Intelligent video: Transforming the in-store shopping experience The intelligent, self-learning video solutions outlined above are designed to empower retailers with much of the insight they…

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